Sprayer



1l` M. STOCKER.-

SPRAYER..

APPLICATION FILED Aue.26, 191s.

" Patented June 27, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET x.

parrain stares JAMES M. STOOKER, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SPRAYER.

Application filed August 26, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. S'rooKnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at At lanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprayers; and I dohereby declare the following to be fa full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to portabley spraying apparatus, partieularlytomotortrucks provided with means for transporting and distributing -aliquid road binder of an asphaltic or bituminous nature.

The general object of the invention is to facilitate the operations ofroad building or surfacing wherein-the solid road surfacing materialssuch as broken stone, gravel, and the like, are bound together by aplastic binder applied in liquid state after the stone, gravel or thelike has been distributed and shaped to the required surface contour.

Specific objects are to insure even spread- Ving and uniform penetrationof the binder over and into the road surfacing materials; to controlaccurately the quantity of binder deposited on any given area; tofacilitate the charging of the apparatus with the hot binder material;to regulate the quantity of the charge; and to improve the variousdetails of structure of apparatus designed to achieve the objects of theinvention.

The invention consists'in the several Lcombinations adapted to functionin such manner as to carry out the purposes of the invention, andspecifically described hereinafter, illustrated in the -accompanyingdrawings, and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similarparts through-k out the several views: y

Figure l'is a side elevation of the apparatus wit-hparts broken away toshow Lconstructions that would otherwise be concealed;

Figure 2 is a view of the rear end of the.

apparatus having parts broken away, and also illustratingdiagrammatically the action of the spray nozzles;

Figure 3 is a view of the filling pipes through which liquid is chargedinto the tank Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2'?, 1922.

serial No. 319,944.

A. as seen looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on line t-et of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, from above, of a portion of pipingleading from the tank to the sprayer.

In the said drawings 10 indicates in general a truck or vehicle framecarrying a hood 1l housing` the usual prime mover such as an internalcombustion engine, said frame being mounted on suitable axles l2 andsupporting wheels 13. Springs 14 support the weightof the rear port-ionof the frame and the load resting on it. It. will be understood that, inpractice, suitable transmission gear between engine and rear wheel willenable the apparatus to travel at any desired speed.

On the truck frame rests a tank A, adapted t0 contain the liquid to besprayed.

A pipe E controlled by valve E serves to admit liquid into the bottom oftank A. Said pipe E connects with branchesfE2 and E3, extendinglaterally, each branch having valves E4 and E5, respectively. In fillingtank A, liquid binder such as a hot bituminous or asphaltic substancemay be pumped into it through pipes E2 and E, or and E, as may bemostconvenient. In practice, the liquid binder will be pumped, in a heatedhighly fluid state, from an asphalt melting furnace, which may be aportable furnace if desired.

Supported on the frame in front of tank AA is' an air compressor B,adapted to supply air under pressure to an air chamber or air tank Dthrough the pipe N connecting the compressor with the air tank, thelatter being of sufficient capacity to neutralize the ef fect of thepulsations of the compressor. An air pipe N connects the air tank I)with the dome A of the tank A in order that coinpressed air may beadmitted to said tank for the purpose of forcing the liquid thereinthrough the sprayingnozzles of the spraying header C to be presentlydescribed. Pipes N and N are provided with suitable valves N2 and N3.

In the top of the dome A is a small orifice G, through which air escapesas it becomes displaced by liquid being pumped into the tank A throughthe liquid inlet pipes E2, E,

or E3, E. 1n order to indicate when the tank is full, an audible signaldevice such as a whistle il, is so placed that air escaping through theorifice Gr will sound the signal. The orifice G is adapted to be closedby a liquid-level responsive device such as a float I, said float beingelevated by the -liquid when the latter fills the tank to the levelrequired so that a valve carried by said float closes the orifice G. Thewhistle H, or other indicator, will sound continuously while liquid isbeing pumped into the tank and will stop when the required level isattained by the operation of the float 1 closing orifice G. Cessation ofthe sound wil-l indicate that the tank is full whereupon the pump willbe stopped and valve E closed.

Connected with the pipe N is a reducing valve or `fiuid pressureregulator G of any suitable type. A check valve P is disposed in thepipe'N near the dome A and between `said dome and the pressure regulatorO. Said check valve seats under the influence of pressure within thetank A .and prevents vapors and fumes that may arise from the hot liquidwithin the tank A from entering the pressure regulator O and fouling orgumming :the mechanism thereof so as to interfere with its operation.The said pressure regulator O is so constructed and adjusted that itmaintains a constant even pressure in tank A, regardless of the degreeof pressure within the compressed air tank D, provided that the pressurein said air tank is greater than the pressure in the tank A. Thepressure of'air in tank A is a most important factor in determining therate of discharge through the spray orifices in the header C. 1f thepressure is not uniform in said tank A the rate of discharge will not beuniform an-d the roadway treated will be of irregular structure andconsistency. Furthermore, some sections of roadway require more binderthan others and the quantity of binder required is readily determined bythe speed of travel of the spraying vehicle when the pressure in tank Aremains constant. In the embodiment illustrated the air compressor isoperated by the same prime mover that drives the vehicle and may operateat somewhat different speeds at different times. The pressure regulatorcompensates for these varying rates of speed of engine and aircompressor and maintains a constant pressure in the tank. It istherefore only necessary to regulate accurately the speed of the truckin order to deposit a desired known quantity of binder per square yardof roadway.

The internal combustion engine or other prime mover (not shown) issupported by the frame beneath the hood 11 as stated. This prime moveris utilized for moving the vehicle, a 'transmission train of any commontype connecting the motor with the supporting wheels; and it is alsoutilized for driving the air compressor B. A driving shaft section L isconnected to the crank shaft of the engine by a tumbling or universaldrive-coupling L2, and, by a Similar coupling, section L is connectedwith a section L journaled in bearings L3 on the frame. Between thebearings L3 a suitable pulley or other driving member L* is secured toshaft section L', in the embodiment illustrated, and the pulley L4 isbelted to a wheel L5 that is carried on the drive shaft of the aircompressor. 1t is contemplated that the air compressor shall becontrolled by any suitable clutch mechanism (not shown), so as to becoupled with or unc-oup'led from the shaft L; or, if a belt drive beused, as illustrated, the belt thereof may be tightened or loosened bymeans of a belt tightener (not shown), all in a manner that is wellunderstood, in order that the vehicle may be moved from place to placewithout running the air compressor.

The gear casing K contains any approved form of variable speedtransmission gearing whereby the speed of the vehicle may be regulated.From the transmission gearing K any suitable driving train (notillustrated) may be connected to the drive wheels. In the constructiondisclosed the shaft section L runs at the same speed as ythe motor crankshaft, and as the speed controlling devices for stopping, starting andregulating the speed of the vehicle are rearward of the shaft L', theair compressor may be run at top speed of the motor independent of thespeed of travel of the vehicl rlhus the vehicle may travel withoutrunning the compressor or the compressor may be operated without movingthe vehicle, from a single motor. rhe machine is so designed as to meetthe maximum requirements when the transmission to the road wheels is inlow, or slowest speed, and the motor running at substantially QU/L ofits maximum speed; allowing a variation from normal maximum in eitherdirection.

In practice, it is expected that the pressure in the compressed air tankl) will be normally BO to Ll0 lbs. per sq. inch greater than thatdesired in the tank A, this difference insuring proper operation of thepressure regulator G, and maintaining a suitable reserve supply of airunder pressure. lVith a liquid of a given viscosity the rate ofdischarge in gallons per minute under a given constant air pressure maybe readily determined. 1t then involves a simple calculation todetermine at what rate of speed the machine must travel over the roadbedin order to deposit the desired volume of liquid binder for each squareyard of surface.

Besides the two factors of pressure and speed of travel over the ground,the viscosity, which in the case of asphaltic materials varies withvariations of temperature,

is a factor to be reckoned with in spreading any desired quantity over agiven surface.

ln building road surfaces with broken stone-or other road material boundwith asphalt or like binder sprayed upon it, it is of great importancethat the binder shall be evenly distributed over every part kof thesurface. It is also important to compensate for the unavoidable varyingtemperatures and consequent viscosity changes of the binder. Every eortis, of course, made to maintain the temperature of the binder at alltimes the same. But some variation cannot be avoided, owing to varyingweather conditions. The spray-header is therefore made adjustabletransversely of the vcenter line of travel to enable a deposited stripeof binder to match with one previously deposited and adjustable inheight to compensate for variation in viscosity. i

The spray header C consists of a pipe arranged horizontally andtransversely at the rear of the truck frame and may have one, two, ormore rows of spray nozzles 2O communicating with it. Said spray header Cis connected by transverse pipes Y to the pipes Y parallel with theheader C, said pipes Y having adjacent ends coupled to a T-coupling C.An elbow C2 is coupled to the said T-coupling C so as to turn about avertical axis, and a second' elbow C3 is coupled to the elbow C2 so asto turn a horizontal axis. A pipe Z extends from elbow C3 to a doubleelbow coupling Z in order to permit said pipe Z to swing verticallyabout its connection with a pipe section Z2 extending upward to the tankA, said pipe Z2 having a valve Z3. Valve Z3 is close to tank A so thatiiow of liquid binder may be cut off close to the tank vfor the purpose`of avoiding hardening or freezing of binder material in the pipe Z. Aquick action valve 74 is also located in the pipe Z, the said valve Z'4having a handle Z5 extending upward in position to be convenientlymanipulated by an operator standing` or sitting on the rear portion ofthe apparatus, so that said operator may readily contol the discharge ofbinder. The said mechanism comprises means whereby the spray header Cmay be shifted horizontally and raised or lowered at the will of theoperator stationed on the rear of the vehicle; also means whereby, atwhatever height the spray header may be set, it will be automaticallymaintained at substantially the `same height above the surface of theroad, irrespective of the quantity of binder in the tank, orirrespective of the distance betweenthe tank andthe rear axle, which isless when the tank is full than when it is empty, Owing to the varyingform of the springs 1A under light and heavy loads.

Extending rearward from the frame' l() guide member, there being oneguided between each pair of guide arms R. T represen'ts a verticallymovable slide box, there being one guided within each guide member S.The guide members S are of rectangular hollow form Ywith open sides. Theslide boxes T ht within the rectangular interior of guide members S andmay be moved up and down therein by means of screw T fixed to each slideboxes T, said screw passing upward througha hole in they top of guidemember S and having a nut T3 threaded thereon, to which is rigidlyconnected ahand wheel T2, by means of which the slide T may be raised orlowered with respect to the guide member S. Integrally formed with eachnut T3 is a sprocket wheel, thesprocket wheels being connected by asprocket chain T4 whereby both nuts T3 are operated together, wheneither hand wheel T2 is turned.

U indicates transverse slide bar members connected in line withl eachother by a centraltoothed rack X. The members U are fitted to slidethrough the said slide boxes T without lateral play and move up and downwith said slides in the guide member S. Engaging the teeth or" rack X isan elongated toothed pinion lV rigid with an upright shaft W journaledin the cross member V, (upon which the' operator vmay standlsaid shafthaving on its upper end a hand wheel 72, by means of'which the shaft lVmay be rotated,thereby shifting the rack X and members U to right orlett through the` slide boxes T. The extremities of the members ll carrydepending arms U the ends of which are provided with perforated bossesswiveled'to the'pipes Y inside of and in lateral contact withV theelbows connecting pipes Y with pipes Y that communicate with the headerC. By the construction described it will be apparent that the header C,rack X andbar members U movey in unison, and that any movement of saidmembersU is imparted to header C. Thus, rotationof hand wheel W2 to movethe rack X and members U end'wise will move the header toy theright orleftr with respectto the center line of advance 0f the vehicle, andmovement, of the slidev T and bars U vertically will similarly move theheader C vermechanism to be now describedis provided :l

.fit each side ol the-apparatus one end of a lever S is pivoted at S2 toa. bracket-secured to 'the rear axle of thevehicle Said lever S islulerulned betweenv its-ends at S to a bracketQ. depending from eachangle bar Q. The other end of the lever S is pivoted to a-lever-.arm S3rigid on arock shalt SL pivoted ,in bearings secured to or formed in theangle bars Q.. Ank arm SG rigidly secured to the rock shaft S4L isypivoted to a link S7 depending` from slide-Sw As the tank A;becomes-lighter by. thedis-v charge-ot its loadthespring letendstoresume its Vnormal form and elevates the frame l0 and tanks.accordingly. But as the trame l() rises it elevates the. rearcnd ollever S by means of bracketQ to which the lever is pivoted.Elevationotthe rear end ot lever S depresses the Vendaof lever arm SGand draws guide member S downward. `rlhe slide box Tand bar member U ofcourse-move with thev guide memberS and consequentlymove the .sprayheader C doivnivard with' respectv tov the frame .10. lVhen the framel0. is eleva-teder `ldepressed forany reason the spray header C iscorrespondingly moved in` the opposite direction. The proportionateextent ot=the relative movement will depend upon the proportionatelengths oli the lever arms; ltwill be obvious that other specificdevices may bef substituted lier thesystem olf -levers illustrated, andthat, in `general, ther proportions of the elements et thetransmittingtrain will be such as to maintain thefheaderl Catsuhstantially the samev heightabove the roadway, or at such height-as,to spread the binder evenly.

The desired height ofthe sprayheader C may be determined and set by the.hand Wheel T2'and thatA same height will therealter he maintainedIautomatically even though the tank gradually rises and falls as theload diminishes. or` increases by reason el the spraying ofthe contentsoft the 'tanl-z Y A onto the road andrepeatedllingthereof.

lt is most desirabler to maintain the liquid binder inthe tank A always'of the same viscosity, but bituminous or asphaltic materials pumped intothe` tankin .a hot liquid condition gradually Acool and becom'einconsequence m-ore viscous particularly in, cold Weather. klVhen theliquid is hot` and'very lluid it will cover -a' yWider area when sprayedfrom a nozzle of given height above the roadway than When it is cooler.Conse quently, the operator, stationedon member V at the rea-r of'thevehicle, Will adjustthe height ol the-spray header G soas-tocompensate or the changes oit viscosity ofthe liquid, byL raising orlowering. the spray header C, and when said header has once beenadjusted to the height necessary said height will be automaticallymaintained.

ln zFig-ure?l the effect of thespray at dil lcrent :heights above theroadbed is illustrated. thecorrect height above the road bed, the basesoilz the spray-cones just meetingv and effecting an even distribution elthe binding material. At 2 the spraying nozzle is indicated astoo nearthe road bed, the bases ot the'spray-cones not meeting and leavinguncovered areas between them. Atv the spray header is indicated as .toohigh above the lroad bed, the bases ol the spray-cones overlappingvmaking a streaky deposit `on the: road by. reason of atoo thick depositWhere the bases of the ycones overlap. By Watching the spray cones and`their effec upon the roadway the operator. is able to se adjust thespray header' so esto produce the elect indicated at 1in the diagram.

- .The binding liquid is-.denosited on-the roadway in broad stripespreferably parallel with the direction ol the readway. @ne zone ol.2roadway having been covered another zone parallel therewith andadjoining it must be covered. lt is practically impossible to drive atruck solaccurately as te cause the second stripe of binder absolutelytouneet theedge of the stripe or zone already formed. Hence the sprayheader C is made adjustable lat rally' as described. The operatorreferred to, on the rear of the vehicle, Watching the spray cones andthe surface covered' by. them, may, by rotating` the hand Wheel 72, movethe spray header C to the :right or le'ftxand cause thestripeotbiuderbeing deposited to' match with the previously deposited stripe.The length ot pinion lll is sul'licient to keep it in mesh with therackX during the up and doyvn movement of the latter.

. ln operation ther apparatus will be driven to the source oilsupply elhot binder; The truck will. be driven alongsidethe source of supply.either side, as may be more convenient` beingprcsented to the supply veA pump hose attached to a pump lor transferring the 'material Yfrom thesupply vessel to the tank A will be coupled to the end olit pipe E201'E2, as the case may be. the vvalve. E opened and also the appropriatevalve on pipe E2 er Ff", the valve Z being closed. the binderinaterialis pumped into tank A air will be displaced and forced out through ventG operating the Whistle H. lVhen the tank is filled the liquid levelcontrolledgfloat l will close the vent and the Whistlek cease tosound,thus informing` the person in {cont-rol that the tank has been lilled,and that the-valve E must be closed and the pump stopped. n

The truck will then be driven to the place Where thebinding material isto be applied. rlhe air compressor will be` started in opera tion withthe valves N2 and N3 opened, valve Z3. open and valve Z4 closed, and theAtl the spray head is shewnnt truck started over the zone of the roadVto be covered with binder material. The operator on the rear will openvalve Z4, adjust the height or the spray header C to the properelevation and, Yby manipulation of the wheel l will endeavor to keep theVspray header following an even path, or

depositing the binder in a stripe that leaves no uncoif'ci'ed streaksbetween it and a previously made stripe ot' binder. The automaticadjusting devices maintain the'spray header at the height above thesurface at which the operator has set it by manipulation of the wheelsT2.

The said pipe connections between header C and tank permit the header Cto be raised and lowered or moved transversely to the right Aor lett.The movement of the header C to thev right or left will cause theT-coupling C to describe an arc thereby varying the distance betweent-he center of said coupling and the center of the pipe Z2 at itsconnection with the tank A measured on a rightline normal to-said headerbe-` tween said points. rIhe up and down adjustments or said header willalso vary the distance between said points. Adjusting mechanism formoving the header inthe described directions is mounted'on a supportslidable ore'and aft to compensate for the described changes ofposition.

Having described my invention in such manner as to enable those skilledin the art to make and use the same what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. In combination, a truck carrying a tank yieldingly mounted relativeto the wheels of said truck, a sprayer connected with said tank, andautomatic means 'for positioning said sprayer as the said tank risesorfalls.

2. In apparatus ot' the class described, a spring supported frame, atank mounted on said frame, a sprayer, a pipe connection between saidtank and sprayer, said pipe connection being constructed to permit ofrelative up and down movement between said tank and sprayer, and meansresponsive to the up and down movements of the tank tor impartingopposite movement to the sprayer.

3. In apparatus or' the class described, a vehicle ruiming gearcomprising a supporting member, a 'iframe yieldingly supported thereby,a tank mounted on said frame, a sprayer, a pipe connection between saidtank and sprayer, said pipe connection being constructed to permit ofrelative up and down movement between said tank and sprayer, atransmission train extending from the supporting member of the runninggear to the sprayer, and connections between the yieldingly supportedtrame and said transmission train Jfor convertingV the upward or vdownward movementV oi the tra-me into an opposite movement of thesprayer.

vand down movement between said tank and sprayer, a transmission trainextending from the supporting member of the running gear to the sprayer,said transmission train 'comprising compound levers fulcriiinedrespectively on the supporting inember'ot the running gear and on theyieldingly supported frame, and a connection between the lever tulcrumedon said supporting member and the yieldingly supported frame.

5. In apparat-us of the class described, a

vehicle comprising a frame, a tank supported thereby, a sprayer, aconduit consisting. of piping or" rigid material connecting the tankwith the sprayer, said conduit comprising a section having a hingedjoint at Yeach end, support-ing means rigid with the trame above thesprayer, upright guiding means freely movable horizont-ally on saidsupporting means, a sprayerv supporting` means adapted to moveup or'downin said upright guidingl means, sustaining connections between saidsprayer supporting meansi and the sprayer, and means whereby saidsprayer supporting means may be movedup or down.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a vehicle comprising a frame, atank supported thereby, a sprayer, a conduit consisting of piping ofrigid material connecting the tank and sprayer, said conduit comprisinga section having a hinged joint at each end, supporting means rigid withthe fra-me abo-ve the sprayer, guiding means movable hori- Zontally onsaid supporting means, a sprayer support-ing bar slidable endwisethrough said guiding means, sustaining connections between the slidablebar and said sprayer, and means whereby said sprayer supporting bar Vmay be moved endwise.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a vehicle comprising a trame, atank supported thereby, a sprayer, a conduit connecting the sprayer andthe tank, said conduit coinprising a rigid pipe section having akuniversal joint at each end, supporting means rigid with the frameabove the sprayer, upright guiding means on said supporting means, aslide box guided by said upright guiding means and adapted to move up ordown, va sprayer supporting bar movable endwise in said slide boX,sustaining connections between the sprayer and said bar, and meanswhereby said sprayer supporting bar may be moved endwise and' up anddown.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a vehicle comprising a-rframe, atank supported thereby, a sprayer, a conduit connecting iic ylO

- ing twospaced apart iexible joints, support- Y -ing means rigid withthe trame above the the sprayer with the tank, saidvconduit havsprayer,vupright guiding means movable horizontally on said supporting means, aguide member adapted to move up and down on said upright guiding means,a slide box movable up `and down in said 'guide member, sustainingconnections between said slide box and sprayer, hand operated means tori adjusting the slide box with respect to said guidemember and automaticmeans for adjusting the position of the guide member.

9. Inapparatus of' the classdescribed, a vehicle running gear comprisinga support- 'ing-me1nber, a `frame yieldably lsupported lboxesfwithrespect to said guide members and for moving said bar endwise, and meansresponsive to the up and down movement of the frame for moving saidguide members up and down in opposite directions.

l0. In apparatus of the class described, a motor vehicle, a tank andspraying apparatus carried thereby, an air compressor adapted to createair pressure within said tank, va transmission train for driving thevehicle, comprising speed varying mechanism,r and driving connectionsfrom said vtransmission train to said air compressor,

said driving connections extending from the driving'train at a pointbetween the speed varying mechanism and the motor.

l1. In apparatus of the class described, a motor vehicle, a tank andspray-ing apparatus carried thereby, an air 4compressor .adapted toforce vcompressed air into the tank,` a pressure regulator adapted tomain- `tain a constant even pressure in said tank,

a motor and transmission train for driving 4thewehicle, 'a speedregulating mechanism iin said train, and ldriving connections from saidtrain to the air compressor at a point 1 between the speed regulatingmechanism and the iuotor.

:in testimony whereof I alix my signature.

JAMES M. STOCKER.

